Trinity
by AdmiralGloval1
Summary: A tale of DC's Trinity, the Big Three, told from the perspectives of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. This is based off the transcript of an RP I was in, so updates may be sporadic, but I'll try to make them as regularly as possible.
1. Chapter 1

Bruce shut off his computer after studying more about this "Superman." He didn't like anything about him. His power, his influence, or his destructiveness. After pulling on his cowl, he walked to the Batmobile and drives out of the cave, past the long hallway, leading out to a small elevator for the car. It lifted him up onto a lake path and drove off into the city en route to Metropolis.

Clark sat back from the desk, rubbing his eyes. He'd been working on this piece for hours now. Normally writing wasn't such a challenge, but it was hard to put into words just how he felt about what had happened with Zod and the Luthors, and at the UN later. He sighed and walked to the window, opening it and stepping out into the night. He needed a chance to clear his head, and a short flight would do just that.

Diana hovered high above Metropolis and let the wind catch her black hair. Her lasso was tucked safely on her hip, giving her a slight feeling of security. She had heard about the Man of Steel and decided he might be the man to talk to about this new world she was now a part of.

Batman drove past cars and through tunnels leading out past the city limits, and right into Metropolis. He could feel the rumble of the engine through his hands as the Batmobile thundered down the highway toward the City of Tomorrow.

Clark heard a noise pricking at his ears. An engine. But not any engine he was familiar with. This one was big, powerful, with an angry growl. He could hear it making its way toward the Planet.

Diana's attention turned to the sound of a vehicle. Her eyes narrowed and she stared at the black armored man He must have been the fabled Dark Knight of Gotham. She had also heard about this man and his violent methods. Both men seemed so strange to her.

Clark saw the woman standing on the Planet. He could tell she was the Amazonian, Wonder Woman. He had written an article for the Daily Planet after an interview with her then-handler, Steve Trevor, but he'd never met her in person. She made eye contact with him and tensed slightly. Clark saw the car stop below him and the Batman step out. _What a strange coincidence,_ he thought.

Batman grappled up to a vantage point and watched Superman in the air from the shadows. He followed his gaze to Wonder Woman. The Amazonian. What was she doing here? He then followed his gaze to the Batmobile. He's spotted the vehicle.

Diana raised her brow and decided to speak first. "Greetings," she said, "I am Wonder Woman," she hovered down to be between the men.

Clark floated down to fifteen feet above the ground. "I've heard of you."

"And I you," she replied, remaining above him but below Batman.

The detective turned on his bio-vision to examine Superman. He looked at his DNA structure and matched him to any citizens in Metropolis. Within moments, he had a name. Clark Kent. A reporter for the Daily Planet.

"You know I can see you," Clark said, then a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, "Bruce."

Diana raised her brow and looked up at the shadows. "Bruce? As in Bruce Wayne? I've heard about his antics in Gotham. Generous man," she looked between the two curiously.

Bruce felt his pulse spike slightly in surprise. He stood from his kneeling position. "How do you know my name?"

"I assume you know mine, so I'll just be upfront. I'm an investigative reporter who once read the entirety of A Song of Ice and Fire in a day, and I can use a technique similar to that bio-scanner you have hidden in your cowl," Clark said calmly, waiting for a reaction.

"A reporter?" Diana smiled slightly and crossed her arms. "A billionaire and reporter as man's greatest champions."

Bruce said nothing, letting them talk. He turned the scanner off and examined the two. He looked at Diana as she spoke then back at Superman. "I heard about the order from the government on me," He got to the chase, "Don't try it."

Clark sat back and waited for him to finish, and chose to let Bruce and Diana hash it out. They were both more mercurial than he, and he'd rather see how it played out before stepping in.

"The government? What order have they placed against your name?" Diana looked at Batman with her brow raised.

"I was talking to him," he looked at the man in blue.

She looked up at Superman with the same expression on her face.

"I'm not with the government," Clark tilted his head. "They like me even less than they like you. You're a local phenomenon. I'm a weapon of mass destruction."

Bruce scoffed dryly. "Don't understate it."

"Just using their words," Clark said. Diana listened to the two of them, thinking they bickered like an old married couple.

"Right. Like you used this world as a battleground?"

"Zod brought the fight here, and I took it to the desert. It was the Luthors who brought it back to Metropolis."

"I'm dealing with the surviving Luthor. You deal with your problems in a more controlled manner. We've only been talking for five minutes and I can deduct from you complete apathy. That's dangerous. You're dangerous."

"Enough!" Diana shouted. "You two bicker like children." Bruce leaned against the wall and listened to the Amazonian scold the Man of Steel and him, and Clark held his tongue, knowing nothing he said will change Bruce's opinion of him. "Fighting over the common good is foolish. You both seek justice, correct?" They didn't answer, knowing she was right. "Exactly. I did not journey here to bicker. Is that understood?"

"What _did_ you journey here for?" Bruce growled. Clark raised one eyebrow, chuckling softly.

"Your world needs a Wonder Woman," she smirked.

"I'll build a giant space station if that works out for you," Bruce snarked and crosses his arms.

"I'll take you up on that offer," she offered her hand to him. He reluctantly accepted, gripping her hand. She was surprisingly strong. He didn't expect that. She squeezed his forearm tighter than needed, making him wince.

Clark landed on the roof next to them. "I suppose with your money, that wouldn't be too difficult."

Diana smirked and pulled her arms away. "Oh, and you may call me Diana."

"Clark."

"Pleasure."

Clark smiled softly, saying, "The pleasure is all mine."

Bruce rubbed his arm in pain. She had dented his gauntlet and he glared at her for it. Then Alfred commed him. "I'm sorry to interrupt – Sir… tell me your POV cam is malfunctioning. Are you having tea time with Superman and… who is that woman?"

"What do you want, Alfred?" he growled, turning his back and placing his finger on his earpiece.

"Your butler?" Clark turned towards him, his smile tugging up at one side.

Diana smirked. "A butler for _the_ Batman?"

"I think, even with the alien who can shoot fire from his eyes and the immortal Amazon warrior, the human is the strangest one here."

Batman ignored the teasing from the two super beings. Alfred replied, "That religious cult you were after? I've isolated their location. They have a boy and the intentions of sacrificing the poor pre-pubescent child. I've put a way point on your HUD."

"I'm on my way," he said, cutting the comm.

"Something wrong?" Clark asked, having heard the full conversation but not sure Diana could hear it.

"I need to go," he turned to the two. "Don't follow me." He leapt down from the building, gliding down to the Batmobile.

"I'm following him," Diana said.

"Me too."

"I shall follow you." Her tone implied it was not a question.

The PA on the Batmobile blared out in response to them both. "No, you're not." Then it roared off into the night.

Diana looked down at the Batmobile. "He's an interesting man."

"He wants to work alone. There's something about a cult going on. Child sacrifice."

"This world is so troubled… It will be a while before I can fully comprehend it," Diana frowned slightly.

"I don't know if I ever will," Clark replied, starting off after the Batmobile.

Diana took off after Superman. "People need to live in harmony. I would like to help you achieve this goal here."

A riot suppressor thudded up from the Batmobile, exploding against Superman's chest. It burst harmlessly, not even shifting his flight path, but he stopped briefly. Bruce knew it wouldn't affect him, but the message it sent was clear: _back off._

Diana looked over Clark. "Are you alright?"

Clark shrugged. "I've been hit by tanks, missiles, and alien war machines. A bean bag does about as much damage as a pebble to me," he smiled slightly.

She set a hand on his shoulder. "We'll have to exchange war stories sometime," she said before resuming their pursuit of Bruce.

Bruce stopped outside the complex. Chanting could be heard inside, along with the faint sound of a child's sobs. Bruce exited the vehicle and entered the building, as a youth in red hopped in from the rooftop.

Touching down beside the Batmobile, Clark quickly swept the building with his x-ray vision. He could see a large number of cultists, and one small child in the center. He tracked Bruce as well, watching him sneak up along with another young, lithe boy. "When Bruce makes his move, I'll get the kid out of there. You help Bruce with those lunatics," he told Diana.

"Or I can get the child. Batman may need a bulletproof man on his back."

"I'm faster, and from what I've seen, you're bulletproof too."

"Who says you're faster?" She raised one eyebrow. "If you want me to be backup, fine."

"We're both backup today," Clark said, rising into the air.

Inside, Bruce snapped into action. He threw a smoke grenade in the middle, and Robin grabbed the boy and darted outside to the batmobile. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the two superbeings. He looked up at Superman. "Woah… um… uh… hi," he stammered. Then his eyes turned to Wonder Woman. "Are you an angel?" He quipped, "Because I just died and went to heaven." Meanwhile, Bruce had already taken out half of the cult.

Clark swooped in, quickly taking the two largest cultists out of action with a flying tackle. Bruce was taking on three at a time. He blocked a knife, kicked one across the room, spun and kicked the second, and planted his hand into the third's neck. Clark stood in the path of a crowd of cultists charging to the aid of their comrades, letting them exhaust themselves a bit trying to get past him before tossing them across the room with the shockwave from a clap.

Diana looked down at the boys. "I need you to stay behind the Batmobile and wait for us to come back out," she said before flying swiftly inside.

"I don't think so," Robin muttered, putting the boy in the Batmobile before following her in. "It sounds like fun in there."

Diana punched a cultist across the room and into the altar. "I do not advise helping," she told the impulsive boy.

Robin leapt over Diana and planted both feet into a pair of cultists, then slid behind her again to trip another one, jumping up and landing his fist down on his face. "You underestimate my power," he says, mimicking Anakin from Star Wars.

A cultist raised a crowbar over Robin's head from behind, but quickly found himself sailing through the air into the ground. Clark smiled down at the boy. "I don't doubt your heart. Only the reach of your arm."

Robin looked up at the dark-haired young man with a grin. "My arms are just fine."

"I noticed," Clark chuckled, dusting off his hands. He does another sweep of the building. "I think that's all of them. Bruce?"

Robin's head wagged side to side as he searched the room. "Um, how do you know his name? And where is he?"

"I don't see him anywhere," Clark said, a touch of worry in his voice.

"I feel like it's my duty to interrogate you on how you know his name… But seeing as how you can probably ring me into spaghetti…" he cleared his throat and asked very nicely, "How do you know the big bad Batman's name?"

"X-ray vision and doing my homework," Clark said absentmindedly.

"Huh…" Robin looked around. "Well, I guess this means I get to drive the Batmobile!" He said, trying to draw out Batman. Meanwhile, Diana kneed a rising cultist in the crotch and slammed him across the room. No answer from Batman. "Well then. I guess I really do get to ride in the Batmobile. You guys wanna come to the cave?"

"The cave?" Diana cocked her head.

"Yeah! You'll love it. Bunch of cool toys. Besides, it's our best bet on finding Batman."

She nodded. "Can you lead the way?"

Clark had his back turned on the pair. "I'll follow," he said, looking about one last time.

Robin nodded and hopped into the Batmobile. He cast about, looking for the right control. Once he had found it, he took off, careening wildly.

"Is this legal?" Diana asked, taking off after him.

Robin's voice replied over the PA, "Vigilantism is illegal. Might as well break some driving laws too." Diana chuckled as she flew over the armored car. Clark sped behind, catching up and keeping his eyes open to the surroundings. Robin made a stop at GCPD to deposit the boy, then led them to the cave.

"It's quite impressive," Diana marveled. Clark expressed his agreement as he landed, causing all the bats in the cave to startle and fly to the far side.

Robin hopped out of the Batmobile. "Yeah, yeah. Gets old quick when you're forced to sit against the wall for hours after I _totally_ didn't take the bike out for a spin!" He glared up at the cameras in the cave. He hopped on the computer. "Too bad Batgirl isn't here. She's the computer whiz. Time to find grumpy."

Diana stood next to Robin. "May I ask you your name?" she said," looking down at her.

The boy removed the domino mask on his face. "Dick Grayson," he beamed up at her.

"Pleasure to meet you, Dick. I'm Diana."

"What about Big Blue over there?" Dick thumbed at Superman.

"Clark Kent," he replied. "How do you plan on finding Bruce?"

"I'm sure this young man has some sort of tracking device on him," Diana said.

"Actually, I was hoping to find him here to be timed and judged on how long it took me to realize I'm a disappointment." Dick paused. "But yeah, tracking device sounds good."

"Is Bruce really so harsh?" Clark asked, sitting next to Dick.

Robin shrugged. "Only when he's in the tights. He's really a good fath – guy. He's just strict with the training and patrols."

"I see," Clark smiled slightly at the slip.

Diana smiled warmly at Dick. "I'm sure you do him honor."

"Oh I know I do," the boy grinned. "I'm beginning to think he just tells me he's disappointed as a hobby."

Diana laughed softly. "When we find him, we can find out for sure which of the two it is."

Robin began typing, isolating a location. "Not in Gotham."

"Maybe Metropolis?" Clark suggested.

"No, not there either."

"Where, then?" Diana asked, one eyebrow cocked.

"I'm not sure. Wait… There. Nanda Parbat. Dang it! I'm not allowed to go there, under any circumstances, or I'm fired."

"Don't worry. Superman and I can go and keep you updated."

"Nah, I trust you guys. And Bruce is too stubborn to die. You'll get him. I'm gonna go get donuts." Robin stood and ran up the steps, taking them two at a time. He turned back to look at them. "Please please _please_ don't tell him I'm having donuts… Or any fried foods… Or going to a party."

Clark laughed and Diana called after him, "Have fun!" Then she turned to Clark. "We should leave," she said grimly.

"Agreed. Let's go get him," Clark says, rising and heading towards the cave exit. Diana jumped up and flew after him. "So why did you come here?" Clark asked as they flew.

"I told you, the world needs a Wonder Woman."

"But why come to us?"

"We abandoned mankind… I peered into your world and saw the sadness and destruction. I believe with the Amazon way the world can know peace and harmony. You're trying to help my cause, Clark. That is why I sought you out."

"I'm just trying to use my gifts as best I can," Clark said. "I have these powers for a reason. I need to be sure that reason is to help people less fortunate than myself."

"I agree completely," she looked over at him and smiled.

Clark smiled slightly at that. "And what about Bruce?"

"He… He is interesting. I believe he wants the right thing but deep down he's hurt so the only way to protect himself is to hide in the cowl."

Clark saw what she meant, and offered some explanation. "He's lost a lot. He's angry at the world for taking so much, so now it's his turn to take back. But I think he wants the same thing we do. His methods are just so different it's hard to tell sometimes."

"I think he's a good man," Diana said. "He just needs a chance."

"Agreed."

"Do you know where we're going?" Diana said as the headed out over the ocean.

"Nanda Parbat," Clark said, thinking back to the world map in his apartment. "It's in the Himalayas."

"Then we'd better quicken our pace," Diana said, gaining altitude and speed. Clark followed, easily matching her speed. She put on even more speed, and looked down at the water below.

"Quite a view, isn't it?" Clark asked, keeping pace, not wanting to leave her behind.

"I've seen better," she smirked slightly. "I come from paradise."

"Well then your life must be surprise-free," Clark chuckled.

"I wouldn't say that," she chuckled, noting the decrease in temperature.

"We must be getting close," Clark said, his breath fogging in front of him. He was all business again.

"How shall we approach this? I say we go in quietly." No sooner had she said it than arrows began flying up at the pair.

"Too late for that," Clark sighed. "I see him." He dove down, smashing through the roof.

Meanwhile, Diana avoided most of the arrows, deflecting the rest with her bracelets. She lands at the front of the monastery and walks in. She walked quietly down the hall, nothing to be seen. She veered off into a side hall. The only familiar sound was the clicking of her boots on the stone floor. She opened a few doors, but all the rooms were empty. "Strangely quiet…" Suddenly a sword flashed from behind one of the doors, and she tumbled through a wooden wall into a hallway already occupied by Superman and Batman, arguing once again.

Clark slammed into the hallway, landing directly in front of Bruce. He was surrounded by several sword-toting ninja. Ninja may be fast and stealthy, but these were no match for Clark's speed and senses. He quickly dispatched them, then untied Bruce and helped him to his feet.

"Get out of here. Both of you. I have work to do," he snarled.

"A thank you would be sufficient."

Bruce started walking down the hall, looking around. "I had it under control."

"If by 'under control' you meant tied up and guarded by more ninja than you could shake a stick at, then yes, you did," Clark said, slightly rankled by Bruce's ungratefulness.

Bruce wheeled on Clark, getting right in his face. "Leave," he growled in a low tone.

Suddenly, Diana burst through the wall, closely pursued by a woman waving a sword. Diana caught the blade twice on her bracelets, then ducked and kicked the woman hard in the stomach. She flew back into the wall and slumped to the floor, unconscious. She walked over and looked down at the woman. "I apologize, sister." She turned to look at Clark. "Where did Batman go?"

"Up," Clark said. "Used his grapnel. I can't see him through these floors. Too many lead pipes."

Diana looked up. "What exactly is this place?"

"Some kind of monastery, it would seem. But what kind of monastery would be guarded by assassins is beyond me." Diana peered back out into the parallel hall. Clark lifted off the floor. "Bruce didn't want us here. Said he was handling it."

"Handling whom is the real question," Diana returned.

"Indeed…" Clark stroked his chin, then leapt up after Bruce, keeping his eyes and ears open. Diana followed closely. He saw Bruce near the top of the building. He was cut up badly, and half his cowl was missing from his face. He slouched slightly, holding a sword in front of himself. An old man with black hair and a silver moustache paced in front of him like a tiger, holding a sword of his own.

"I assume the fight is over, detective," the man said, his voice as deadly as viper's venom and smooth as oiled sin. "You have brought your friends."

"Bruce!" Clark rushed to the bleeding man's side. "We need to leave."

"The fight isn't over," Diana said, taking the sword from Bruce's hand. "It has just begun."

But the old man wasn't interested in fighting. "Bruce?" he hissed, his eyes gleaming like wicked emeralds, "Bruce Wayne? That is your name?" Bruce glared daggers at Clark.

Clark felt his neck flush. He knew what just happened. He had given this man, whoever he is, the ultimate weapon against Bruce. There would be hell to pay for that.

"Get him out of here, Superman!" Diana said, putting herself between them and the man. Lightning seemed to flash in her eyes as she raised the sword, pointing it straight at the man.

"It matters not," the man said calmly. "Your city will be dust in a matter of hours." He raised his sword in response.

"Can you handle him, D- Wonder Woman?" Clark said, putting Batman's arm over his shoulder and preparing to lift off. Bruce tried to struggle free, but it was no use. He didn't want to leave just yet. He had his business to take care of. Clark's grip was like iron, however, and he couldn't budge.

"Of course," Diana said evenly, and even though he couldn't see it, Clark could hear the confident smile on her lips. "Now go!" She cried.

"We need to get you back to Gotham," Clark said, taking off and speeding away.

Diana turned to face the man, but he was gone. He came from behind, grabbing her hair and pulling her off balance before kicking her against a glass window. Diana growled and dove forward, tackling him to the ground and knocking his sword out of his hand. He kicked her off and snatched away her sword, and drove it down.

Diana's eyes widened as the sword pierced her in a soft point in her armor, and she gasped out.

The man kicked her in the mouth, picking her up by the neck. "How disappointing," he said, those serpents' eyes staring into hers with cold indifference. He tossed her out the window absently, and she fell, down down down into a pit.

Clark heard her gasp as he sped away, and it made him falter. No, he had to get Bruce to Gotham. Whatever the man was planning, that was where it was going down. _Diana is strong,_ he told himself. _She'll make it out._

As they swooped low over the city, he saw Robin and Batgirl on Main Street, fighting together against a veritable swarm of ninjas. They moved with fluidic ease, baffling even the best fighters with their techniques. Bruce smiled down at them. As long as they stuck together, they wouldn't fail. "Get me to the tunnels," He said, his low, gravelly voice somewhat softened by his wounds.

"Right." Clark scanned the city, looking for dead spots where the lead pipes that surrounded them came close to the surface. As soon as he found one, he dove in.

Bruce stepped down and limped to a large device. A digital display on the side was counting down to zero. It was a time bomb, but it wasn't like any time bomb Clark had seen on Earth. "This is…" Batman gasped, "This is similar to your technology. Ra's took it and made it his own. It's going to flatten Gotham."

"I can read the symbols," Clark said, looking closer. They were indeed Kryptonian. "What do you need me to do?" He scanned the device inside and out, looking for some weakness, but he wasn't sure how it worked.

"Find the gravitational generator."

"And then?" Clark said, seeking it out.

"Break the connection," Bruce growled impatiently. "Put your hand in the way."

"Alright." Clark peeled back the casing on the bomb, revealing the gravitational generator. He reached his hand in, knifelike, and interrupted the beam. He could feel the intense pressure working on his hand from both sides, and a slight tingle. The longer he held the beam down, the less pressure he felt, and the sharper the tingle became. "I think it's working!"

"You feel that pricking sensation? That's the atoms getting ionized. Get your hand out now," Bruce said. Clark quickly wrenched his hand free, shaking away the tingle. "If I understand your biology right, you soak up the sun and convert it into energy, like a plant. The energy that the bomb is producing now is… it's poisonous to you. Ionized radiation. Soon it's going to blow, and if you're caught in it you will die."

"So how do we stop it?" Clark asked, looking at his hand more carefully, then back up to Bruce. His immediate thought was to fly it up into space, but that would just give the radiation free rein.

Bruce seemed to read his mind with his eyes. "First…" he stood and walked over to Clark, then whipped around to kick him into the bomb, and Clark's face came into contact with the ion beam. He fell to the ground, heavily stunned. "You need to stay put. I'm sorry." Bruce called the Batmobile, and shortly later it arrived. He hooked up the bomb and drove the car away from Clark, getting to a safe distance, then down to the lower sewer systems, near where Killer Croc made his home. Croc would survive. He unhitched the bomb and let it slide down into the system, but the cable snagged, and started to take the Batmobile with it. The sliding car knocked Bruce to the edge of the dropoff. He watched the car fall down, down, down, until it exploded at the bottom of the pit. Pieces of flying shrapnel flew upward, and Bruce barely managed to scramble over the ledge in time to avoid them.

Bruce had lost a lot of blood. He staggered back out of the sewer system and to the tunnels, all the way back to Clark, avoiding the police. Clark was coming to just as he arrived.

"What hap-" he started, but then his eyes fell on Bruce. At first, he felt his anger well up inside him, but when he saw the state of the Batman, the sight of his wounds tempered his wrath. "How did you get rid of the bomb?" He asked, rushing to support him.

"Sewers," Bruce grunted. His skin was approaching a deathly pale. Combined with the dark cowl and blood trickling down the corners of his mouth, it made him look almost vampiric. "We need to find Diana."

"We need to get you to a doctor first," Clark said. "Once you're there, I'll look for her."

"No hospitals!" Bruce roared, almost indignant. "The cave," he continued, more hoarsely.

"Right. The cave." Clark lifted him out of the tunnel and up, out of Gotham. He took him straight to the cave, flying down though the lake entrance. "I need help here!" He shouted, his voice bounding off the rocks almost loud enough to shake them.

An elderly man in a suit walked calmly down the staircase, a white towel draped over one arm, the other hand supporting a tray of surgical implements. "Your booming voice was not necessary. He comes in like this every week."

"What's this place under? A blood bank?" Clark asked, laying Bruce across the table.

Alfred walked to the tableside. "Oh, Master Bruce, You've ripped the stitches from last night. And these as well!" He set to work sewing up Bruce's deeper cuts.

"Bruce, do you have any idea where to start looking for Diana?" Clark asked, leaning over the operating table.

"Start with Nanda Parbat. That's where we left her," Bruce grunted, turning to his side to allow Alfred to stitch a gash on his back.

"And if she's not there?"

"Then come back here."

"Isn't there a way to keep in touch while I'm out there?" Clark paced back and forth. Bruce pointed to a row of earpieces on the table. Clark took one, then another for Diana. "Alright. I'll be back." He lifted off, making for Nanda Parbat at top speed.

When he arrived, there was no sign of Diana anywhere. The monastery was deserted, no sign of life. There was a deep pit beside the monastery, full of a foul-smelling liquid. It hissed and steamed like a pool of liquid dragons, and Clark thought better of stepping in it. He put his hand to the earpiece and called back to the cave, wondering just how many satellites Bruce had in orbit to make the network connection. "Bruce, I'm not seeing her. Any ideas?" he cast about, but still there was no sign of her.

"I have a tracker on her," his voice crackled over the earpiece.

"Where is she?" Clark asked, rising back up and making for Gotham.

"I can't say exactly. Just follow me."

When Clark arrived, he saw a dark, wedge-shaped plane rising up from the lake with Bruce inside. He followed closely as Bruce flew eastward, out over the Atlantic.

Diana felt a shock flow through her body, and her eyes flew open. She pulled herself gasping from the water, glowing slightly and completely healed. She wipes the water from her face. _Need to purify myself of this filth_ , she thought as she flew off to return home. When she returned, she dove into a small pond and emerged with a splash from the sparkling water. _Better already_ , she thought, ducking beneath the clear rippling water again. She scrubbed the outside world from her body, feeling more whole with every second in the cool water. She stood and stretched, the wild growth of the forest lending an air of mysticism to the pool. She felt at peace. She smiled to herself, ruffling out her long, ebony hair. She rinsed herself one last time before rising and climbing from the pool. She slowly wrapped a white linen around herself and shook out her hair as she rose, then pulled on a white robe and did up her hair in a bun. She turned when she heard a noise from behind to see… Bruce?

Soon, an island rose on the horizon like it was climbing above the waves themselves. Tall white cliffs were topped with lush forests, and light green grass climbed halfway up a high mountain peak wreathed in low-hanging clouds. _Just like she described it,_ Clark thought. _Paradise._ Then he realized just what that meant. "Oh no," he said. "We can't land there," he told Bruce over the earpiece.

"I'm landing there," Bruce replied gruffly.

"No, we can't." Clark caught the Batwing and held it in midair. "That's Themiscyra. Paradise Island. I interviewed Steve Trevor once. They don't allow men on the island."

"I don't care," Bruce growled. He tried to fight against Superman's strength, pushing the Batwing toward the ground, but Clark only pulled back harder, keeping it in place.

"Bruce, if you land," Clark grunted, "they _will_ kill you. They won't even ask questions later."

Bruce didn't respond. Suddenly the canopy of the Batwing popped open and he leapt down, using his scalloped cape as a parachute to glide down to the clifftop. "Coming?" he smirked up at Superman.

"You're going to get us killed," Clark muttered, shaking his head as he floated down to Batman's side.

Fighting their way through the dense forest, Bruce suddenly saw something that made him stop. Diana was bathing in a spring-fed pond. She was beautiful. He could feel it overcoming his practiced control. Clark saw her too, just as she was rising from the water. He quickly turned away, and Bruce shielded his eyes out of respect. Clark could feel the pheromones rolling off of Bruce, and he could tell something was off. Physically, Bruce was the least expressive man Clark had ever met, but now he could have smelled him from halfway across the island. He tempered his own reaction to Diana's beauty and waited to see how things played out, hoping Bruce didn't get himself killed.

"Thank God," Bruce said, his low voice almost cracking into what would be a normal register on most people as he walked toward her, almost in a trance. "You're okay." He pulled her close and planted a kiss on her lips. Clark's jaw dropped. He'd expected a bad idea, but this was far beyond anything he had anticipated.

Diana's eyes widened and she quickly pushed him away. She didn't know how they'd found her or why they had come, but one thing was certain. No man tries to handle her. She swung her fist, catching Batman in the jaw and sending him sprawling.

Clark chuckled briefly, then clammed up when her glare fell on him, sparks flying from her dark eyes. "We were just worried," he said, holding up his hands. "If I knew what just came over him, I'd tell you." Bruce sat up and rubbed his jaw, a smirk playing on his lips.

Suddenly the forest came alive with a crashing of branches as a dozen Amazonian warriors came from behind Diana, encircling the men with weapons drawn. "Princess Diana!" the leader cried. "Are you alright?"

Bruce's eyes widened as Clark helped him to his feet. "Princess?" He stammered, losing composure.

"I'm fine," Diana told her warriors. "I will meet you two back in Gotham. Leave now, before I lose my patience," she said coolly, turning on her heel and leaving with her guards, walking stiffly.

"Of course," Clark said quietly, lifting Bruce into the air. "Come on, loverboy," he joked before setting Bruce back in the cockpit of the Batwing and carrying it away.

"Shut up," Bruce growled, his voice back to its gravelly rumble. "And stop carrying everything. We get it!" He turned on the plane and flew it out of Superman's hands.

Clark just laughed. "I'm sorry, the pilot was a little shellshocked," he said as he caught up with the jet.

"Don't you have a cat to pull out of a tree?" Batman groused, veering off from Superman.

"Mr. Wayne," Clark asked, pulling level and putting on what Jimmy called his reporter voice, "Which hurts worst? The wounded pride at going head over heels, the rejection of a beautiful woman, or the punch that would have registered on the Richter scale?"

"I'd say it might be talking to someone about lowering your pay over at the Daily Planet. Don't worry, it'd hurt me more than it'd hurt you."

"I'm a Pulitzer Prize winner with multiple bestselling books and novels, Bruce, and I'm still in my twenties. Perry hates admitting it, but he thinks I'm too valuable to snub."


	2. Chapter 2

Bruce walked down to the plaza below Wayne tower and sat down. They had agreed to meet here to discuss something. It was Diana's idea. His jaw was still a little sore.

Diana stepped into the open plaza and took off her sunglasses. She eyed a dark-haired man with a square jaw and a permanent scowl and knew it must be Bruce. She'd recognize that jaw anywhere. She made her way over to him, stepping confidently across the tiles. Her long coat concealed most of her outfit, but her bracelets peeked out from the sleeves, glinting in the sun.

Shortly after, Clark made his entrance. He was incredibly discreet about it, Bruce noted. Everything about him gave an air of discretion, as if he had custom-tailored his entire person to be inconspicuous, from the brown plaid shirt to the faded blue jeans to the ball cap, he seemed like an entirely different person. Still, there was no mistaking the broad shoulders, or the light intensity behind those thick-rimmed glasses. He strolled casually to the table and sat down quietly.

Diana looked at the two men and folded her hands on the table. "Clark. Bruce." She seemed calm, almost dangerously so to Bruce.

"Diana," Clark nodded, smiling politely as he set his ball cap on the table, straightening his tousled black hair. His demeanor was softer than the commanding, confident presence he presented in his other uniform. "Bruce," he said more brusquely to the other man. Diana nudged Clark in the ribs with her elbow, then picked up a menu cautiously. Clark raised one eyebrow silently, but followed suit.

Diana's eyes wandered across the room, then back to the two most interesting objects within, the men seated before her. "What's a cheeseburger?" she asked.

Clark smiled and leaned toward her slightly. "It's a hot sandwich. Ground beef and cheese, usually with vegetables like lettuce, tomato, and pickle, between two pieces of bread," he explained, pantomiming the construction of his favorite food.

She frowned slightly, brows furrowed. "Ground beef? It doesn't sound very good…"

"It is if you raise it right."

"Hmm… Maybe I'll try it. Although the salad looks good as well," she scrunches her nose as she reads.

Clark smiled to himself, then forced his mind from wandering back to the matter at hand. "Bruce, you've been awfully quiet," he said, his voice changing from his softer Clark Kent voice to the full, confident voice he used in costume. Diana peered above her menu and stared at Bruce, her eyes inscrutable.

"Was there a reason we decided to meet here?" he said, his voice low but undistorted. He looked up from the menu. "I don't mean to offend. I'm just curious."

"Because we can fly and you can't," Clark supplied with a shrug.

Diana smiled slightly. "I actually wanted to discuss some things."

"Mature," Bruce huffed, tired of Clark's lighthearted disposition already. He turned from him to Diana. "About?"

"Diplomacy."

"If it's about the whole incident on Themiscyra," Clark began, but thought better of it, and shut his mouth.

She glanced at Clark and then back to Bruce with a sly grin. "Hmm… As I was saying, I will be staying here in the United States acting as the diplomat for Themiscyra. I don't think it would be wise for me to be travelling back and forth so much. I was wondering if you both could arrange quarters for me."

"I could get you somewhere in DC," Bruce offered.

"That would be helpful," she nodded. "And what about us? How will we stay in touch?"

"Here," Clark handed her the spare earpiece he'd taken from the cave. "This way we can get in touch in case something comes up. It worked in Nanda Parbat, so I assume the connection is worldwide?" he directed the question to Bruce with a tilt of his head.

"Yes," Bruce looked back down at the menu. "You'll be guaranteed a penthouse within the next hour after I make a call."

Diana examined the earpiece before slipping it into her pocket. "Thank you, Bruce," she smiled and planted a kiss on Bruce's cheek. "Thank you, Clark," she leaned over and kissed Clark's cheek as well. Bruce remained stoic, while Clark blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his neck, a habit he'd picked up from his father. "Now, I shall try the cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake."

"Just what I was thinking," Clark nodded. He didn't need food; he got all his energy from the sun. Still, he enjoyed eating, and it would be rude not to. Diana folded her menu and smiled.

Bruce put down his own menu. "Two burgers, wings and fries. With ginger ale," he informed the waiter when he arrived. Then he looked over at Diana and Clark. "Don't tell Dick," he growled.

Diana chuckled. Clark laughed out loud. "Mum's the word," he said.

Diana looked up at the waiter. "I'll have a cheeseburger, fry, and a chocolate shake, please."

"I'll have the same," Clark said.

Up in the shadows of a tall building, Robin was keeping watch over the proceedings. "I see you, Bruce," he said, laughing before disappearing. Bruce scowled, then leaned back in his chair.

"Did any of you hear about the particle accelerator in Central City? There was a malfunction of some kind," he said.

"Oh? I hope no one was hurt," Diana frowned.

"I was there helping with cleanup," Clark said. "Didn't have too many casualties. But I did hear one of the detectives on scene talking about a CSI who ended up in the hospital due to some related lightning storms."

"Hera help him," Diana muttered. Then she saw the waiter with their drinks. "Oh my, that's larger than I imagined."

"Almost as big as the ones back home," Clark chuckled.

"Hm," she pulled it close and took a sip. Her eyes widened and she gasped.

"Good?" Clark sipped his through a straw to avoid a chocolate mustache.

"Amazing!" Diana laughed, then chugged it down quickly.

"Careful you don't get a brain freeze," Clark laughed.

Diana buried her head in her hands "My head!" she cried.

Clark laughed again. "I warned you!"

"This is a terrible pain."

Clark smiled, his hand on her shoulder. "You wouldn't think people like us would have a weakness like frozen dairy products, but no one is immune to the brain freeze." Bruce's scowl lightened slightly as he watched Diana learning about the outside world.

Diana was still in recovery. She shook her head. "That was awful… we don't have anything like that on Paradise Island."

"Then it's not paradise," Bruce grunted, drinking his ginger ale.

"For once, we agree," Clark smiled disarmingly. Bruce was unamused.

"I'm sure we have something better than this," Diana said, her head still leaned in one hand.

"Like all good things, it comes with a little pain if you do it wrong," Clark sipped slowly on his own milkshake. Diana drained the rest of her shake and frowned down at the bottom of the glass. "Here," Clark said, sliding his own shake over to her, "You can have the rest of mine."

"I cannot accept your gesture. The shake is yours and you should enjoy it," Diana said, moving the glass back over to Clark, though he could tell she was loath to release its chocolate contents.

"It's mine to give, too," he pushed it back to her. "You obviously liked it, and you clearly wanted more."

"Well yes… We shall share the remaining amount," she said with an air of finality. _And small wonder,_ Clark thought. _She is a princess after all._

All he said was, "Fine by me," with a smile.

The waiter returned shortly with the main course. "Burgers, wings, and fries for Mister Wayne," he said, placing a tray in front of Bruce, who up till this point had remained stoic, "And cheeseburgers and fries for the lovely couple."

Clark's ears and neck flushed deep red. "O-oh no," he stammered, "We're not a…" he leaned back slightly from Diana and shot her a look that screamed _help me_.

Diana looked up at the waitress. "This man is nothing but someone I associate with in the workplace. We are nothing more," she said, taking the rest of the shake and sipping it with a plain look on her face. _The nerve of some people,_ she thought.

Clark sighed deeply. "Thank you," he said.

"Are you embarrassed of me?" she asked with a smirk.

"N-no, I just… I'm digging myself a hole here aren't I?" He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck again.

"Yes. Yes you are," she chuckled and looked down at her food. "It smells amazing, but looks rather unappetizing."

Bruce checked his watch, then raised his hand to the waiter, apparently roused from his stupor. "I'm going to need this to go." He stood and fixed his tie. "Sorry to cut it short but I have a meeting."

"Anyone we know?" Clark stood with him. Diana looked up at the two standing men from her plate, where she had ravenously devoured half her cheeseburger already.

"Alexandra Luthor. Apparently she's getting desperate enough to offer illegal bargains to me so our companies can merge. Once I record it, I'll have solid evidence to back up the soft."

"I've heard of this Luthor," Diana stood. "The couple and I will need boxes to go," she said.

"She can't be happy with that," Clark said, placing his cap back on his head and pulling it down firmly.

Moments later, the waiter returned with several boxes. "For the happy couple, and for you, miss," he said. Diana accepted the boxes with thanks, and Clark shot her the closest thing to an icy glance she'd seen him deliver. It was made all the more effective by his clear blue eyes, eyes that seemed incapable of concealing the emotions he held in check so well otherwise. She planted a kiss on Clark's cheek, this time earning no reaction, and handed the waiter the money. "You may keep the change. Thank you both for lunch. It was quite… informative."

Clark's eyes followed her out before he turned to Bruce. "That woman is going to be the death of us both, I can feel it."

"At this point I am sure the both of you will be the death of me," Bruce growled. "I'm getting too old for this," he grumbled.

"Still in good shape though," Clark patted Bruce on the back, just hard enough to make him check his footing. "I'm sure you'll do just fine," he chuckled with a twinkle in his eye. Bruce muttered something so low only Clark could hear, then turned and walked away. Clark set out for the waterfront, then leapt into the air faster than the eye could follow and soared across the bay to Metropolis.

Diana walked down the street, absorbing the sights and smells of the city around her. After several blocks, she turned into an empty alleyway and flew up, making her way to Washington. When she landed, she tested her comm. "Hello? Does this work?"

Clark's voice sounded in her ear. "I can hear you loud and clear."

"Good. Bruce, what was the address for the penthouse you had in mind?"

"215 I Street Northeast, in the Capitol Hill area."

"Thank you," she said, making her way to the building. She climbed the stairs and entered her loft. She set her bags down and sighed. It was smaller than her palace back home, but still spacious, and pre-furnished. "I expect our next lunch will not be interrupted, she said in her certain way. She explored her new rooms with a smile on her face.

"Provided there's no meetings, alien invasions, or child-sacrificing cults, I'd have to agree," Clark laughed over the earpiece. His voice was soft and gentle.

 _He must be among men_ , she thought. Why he would hide what he could do was beyond her, and she was confused by his insistence on a normal life. Bruce ran the company that provided his gear, that was understandable. But why a man who was as near a thing to a god as she had seen since coming to man's world would want to disguise himself as another mortal bore no explanation. _He is not like them_ , she thought.

She undressed and looked out her window over the monuments men had built. "I'd rather take those than the speech I have to give to your Senate tomorrow." She ran the water in her shower, and went to check the news while she waited for it to warm. Her eyes widened and she dropped the remote when she saw what was happening in Metropolis. "Superman! I'm on my way!" She quickly donned her armor and opened the window, taking out and speeding towards the city.

Clark stepped into the planet, keeping his shoulders hunched and his eyes down. _Just in time,_ he thought as Perry made his way through the crowded bullpen towards him.

"Kent!" his boss shouted, waving a wadded up paper in his hand. "What is this? I need that cult story and I need it yesterday!"

"On it, Mister White," Clark said, hurrying to his desk. He allowed himself a small smile. He had had a front row seat to that one. _This shouldn't take long_. He could see Lois eying him from over the cubicle. She had never trusted him, not since he had brought his debut interview with Superman to Perry. Since then, she had seen him as competition, though he had done his best to be friendly. "I trust our next lunch will not be interrupted," Diana said, and again Clark was reminded of the way she had of declaring things to be so. It made him chuckle.

"Provided there's no meetings, alien invasions, or child-sacrificing cults, I'd have to agree," he laughed.

"I'd rather take those than the speech I have to give to your Senate tomorrow."

Just as he was about to begin typing, the building shook. He caught his pen cup before it fell to the floor and looked around. The building shook again, and people went grabbing for anything to grab ahold of. Clark quickly ran for the roof and left his work clothes behind, flying up to look at the building. What he saw chilled him to the bone, and he felt an emotion he had only felt once before.

Fear.

"Dear God."

Doomsday had landed again, right in front of the Planet. It was now climbing the building, sending crumbling rubble falling to the ground below. Clark dove down, slam ming the monster away from the building. He kept up an unrelenting assault, driving Doomsday toward the bay. If he gave it even a second, hundreds, maybe thousands of people could die. He drove Doomsday through the air before sending him crashing into the water with a powerful blast of his heat vision.

Superman hovered over the water, searching the depths for any sign of movement. Some editorials had accused him of thrill-seeking in the past, searching out danger because he liked the fear. That was the furthest thing from the truth. He hated fear. No matter how great the odds, he never let himself be afraid. But Doomsday wasn't odds. He was death incarnate. He got his sign. Doomsday came roaring out of the surf, slamming straight into Clark. They hurtled back to shore, trading blows powerful enough to shake the air itself. "Superman!" He heard Diana cry, "I'm on my way!" He was too busy to reply. He picked himself up out of the sand and clashed with Doomsday again. It tackled him to the ground. He managed to throw it off and rise before its claws crushed him, just in time to see Diana land behind it and draw her sword. "Diana, stay back! I've faced this thing before."

"Don't speak to me like that, Clark," she said, closing ground with the monster. It turned at the sound of her voice and bellowed.

Clark didn't have time to nurse her stubborn pride. He charged Doomsday, slamming into its back. It whirled and pounced, hoping to catch him on the ground again. Clark shot back out of its reach, and a heavy claw buried itself in Doomsday's back, lifting him helplessly into the air. Bruce had arrived, and was now towing the monster with the Batwing. "We need to take this out of the city," he growled. Diana agreed, and Clark nodded his assent.

"I can go faster," he said, grabbing Doomsday from behind and flying north. When it finally broke his grip, they fell to the ground in the northern territories of Canada. Clark pushed himself to his feet, shaking glacier from his hair. He and Doomsday collided in midair, the thunder of their blows booming off the mountains. They battled back and forth across the glacial valley, plowing deep troughs in the ice and snow and rock. Just when Doomsday seemed to gain the upper hand, it was whipped from its feet and whirled around by Diana, who had just caught up. She had wrapped her lasso around it, and was spinning it overhead. She released, hurling the monster into a nearby mountain.

Clark gave chase, pounding Doomsday deep into the belly of the mountain. The earth rumbled and shook as they fought deep inside, then suddenly the mountain seemed to erupt, as Superman flew through the air to land by Diana, with Doomsday leaping out close behind.

Bruce swerved to avoid the blue and red-caped figure flying from the mountainside. _Well, I found them_ , he thought wryly. He strafed the monster, firing missiles to keep it distracted as Superman picked himself up. He was battered and bloody, and his suit was torn in a dozen places, but he was still fighting. Bruce was impressed. He had matched this unholy force of nature at every turn, and kept him contained on the ice sheet. The monstrosity was even looking worse for wear, despite seeming to be even stronger than Superman. And more than that, it had him _scared_. From what he had seen, Superman had never been scared in a fight before. He always wore that confident air, even when he was losing. If it was enough to scare Superman, it was worth worrying about.

Diana threw her shield at the beast, then leapt into the air. She had fought monsters before, and this was no different. The shield hit it in the face, distracting it as Diana's sword cut into its ankle. _Clark was struggling with this?_ _Maybe the Man of Steel isn't as strong as I_ –

Doomsday cut off her train of thought with a clawed fist, swiping down and nearly burying her in the ice. Then it turned its attention to Batman, leaping up at the Batwing with a roar. Bruce maneuvered the Batwing just out of the monster's grasp. He ejected out of the seat and glided down, planted both feet on Doomsday's horned head and kicked off, flipping and landing next to Superman.

Doomsday roared and charged, but Clark cut it off with a punch to the jaw that rattled Bruce's teeth and brought it to its knees. It struggled back to its feet but Clark hit it again. And again. And again. And again. He kept hammering on it until blood dripped from his knuckles, pooling dark red around his boots. Finally, Doomsday ceased moving. Without a word, Clark picked the monster up and flew it up and out into space, tossing it back the way it came, far away from Earth as Bruce and Diana watched them rise. He slowly floated back down to Earth, looked at both of them, and managed a weak smile. Then he collapsed to the ground, suit in tatters and blood seeping into the snow.

Diana knelt beside him and checked his vitals. He was alive, but barely. "We need to get him to a hospital."

"His identity would be vulnerable there. The cave." Batman knelt beside her.

"Can you fit him in that plane?" Batman nodded and they lifted him up, carrying him to the copilot seat. Diana hovered up into the air and waited to follow as Bruce sped back south, towards Gotham.

As they passed over the border, a squadron of F-22 Raptors fell in behind them. "You are entering United States airspace. State your intent or be fired upon," one of the pilots said on Bruce's comms.

Diana looked back at the jets. "Bruce, you keep going," she said. "I'll handle things here." Bruce didn't say anything in response but the Batwing picked up speed, outpacing even the advanced fighters. Diana kept a slow pace in front of the jets. One of them fired a warning shot, apparently not happy at being ignored. She didn't even blink as the missile flew past her and detonated.

"We don't have time for this. Leave them," Bruce said over comms. Diana rolled her eyes and flew straight up into the air, leaving the less maneuverable jets behind, and flew back to Gotham unhindered. She reached the cave to find Bruce already at work treating Clark, who seemed to be healing somewhat, but still out. "How its he?"

"He'll make it." His cowl was off, lying on the stool next to him.

"Thank Hera," she said, walking to the table.

Dick walked into the cave holding a half-eaten donut, not seeing Bruce. Bruce, likewise, was too absorbed in his work to notice his protégé. Dick looked to Diana and mouthed "cover me" to her before stuffing the rest of the donut into his mouth. Diana chuckled and walked over to the Batcomputer. "Is this how you know everything?" she asked.

"Don't touch it," Bruce grumbled, not looking up from the Kryptonian. She set her hand on one panel. He sighed and walked over.

"What do you have here on me?" She asked.

"Nothing you shouldn't already know," he said.

"Ah," she sat down in the big chair. Batman looked at her, one eyebrow raised. She spun around it, a taunting smile on her face.

"You're having too much fun."

"Must be hard for you to watch, then," she smirked and stood back up.

Bruce scoffed. "The strongest being I'd ever met is lying nearly dead on the table over there after a fight with the new strongest being I've ever met. Now is hardly the time for childish antics." He turned to Dick, who was trying to sneak into the Batmobile, as if he had sensed his presence. "No!" he barked. Dick hung his head in defeat and marched back upstairs.

"He's a good child. He should meet Donna."

"No. Girls," Bruce growled. "Not until he's eighteen."

"What's wrong with girls?" Diana raised her eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.

"He'd be distracted."

"I'll introduce her to him next week after her training session," she said, walking past him with a smirk.

"You will do no such thing."

"He needs friends."

"He is not your pupil to decide who or what he needs. I am training him. He has what he needs. Don't meddle."

"You don't count as a friend," Diana leaned against another desk. "Are you sheltering him, Batman?"

"Where it's appropriate," the Dark Knight replied firmly, folding his arms.

"That's what my mother did for the past hundred years," Diana said coolly.

"And look at you now."

Diana raised one eyebrow. "Oh? What do I look like now, hmm?"

Bruce simply smirked and turned his back. He pulled off the top of the batsuit, hanging it in its slot. Diana laughed and called for Dick to come back to the cave.

"What's up, pretty lady?" Dick said, sliding down the railing.

"How old are you?" Diana smiled kindly at him.

"Twelve," he looked up at her.

"Would you like to have a playdate with my little sister, Donna?"

"Play date? I don't want to babysit a five year old girl," the boy crossed his arms, looking remarkably like a miniature Batman, albeit one with donut crumbs still on the corners of his lips.

"She's not five. She's eleven. I can tell her to bring swords."

"Swords? Eleven?" Dick grinned, then stuck his tongue out at Bruce. He looked back at Diana with an innocent look on his face. "That sounds fine," he said, hiding his excitement.

"I'm glad. Promise me you'll not hurt yourselves too much?"

"Promise."

Bruce scowled. "Go study with Barbara," he said firmly. Dick nodded and scurried back up the stairs.

Diana walked back over to Bruce, trailing a hand over his shoulder. "Checkmate."

Bruce pulled on a white shirt and leaned against the desk. "Don't undermine me in front of him. For someone from a military background, I should think you would know better." He sighed. "Fine. It could be good for his morale to socialize."

"I just don't want Donna to go through the same things I went through," Diana said.

"Fair enough." Bruce walked back to the computer, pulling up a series of blurry photos and CCTV feeds. "There's other people out there like you and Superman."

"I know."

"We may need their help. It can't be the three of us against the world."

"You don't think we could take the world if we needed to?"

"If today was any indication, no. Not alone."

"I see."

"I wasn't joking about that space station."

"So I won the bet?" Batman only nodded. Diana folded her arms. "In all seriousness, what is your plan, Bruce?"

"Bring these people together. Make them a team."

" _You_? The _Batman_ wants a team?"

"Not me. The world needs a team. There's unspeakable things growing that we can't beat alone."

"Who did you have in mind?"

"A test pilot out in New Mexico named Harold Jordan. He came into contact with some kind of alien tech a few months back, now he goes by Green Lantern. A high school football star turned cyborg named Victor Stone. I worked with his father once. There's also this man," Bruce pulled up video from a submersible drone at a shipwreck that showed a bearded man swimming out of the ship without breathing apparatus. "No name yet, but he's capable of breathing underwater, and he's got the durability and strength to dive anywhere we can send a submarine, at least."

"And you want us to protect the planet? Together?"

"When necessary."

"Some sort of pantheon." She raised her eyebrows, both of them for once. "A league."

"Yes. We can't be scattered, unfocused. As a team, we'll be more effective, fighting for a common cause."

"I assume you want to stay in Gotham, though."

"We aren't all going to live together, so yes."

"You don't think residency in this space station would be beneficial?"

"It would be, but not 24/7. I certainly wouldn't use it often. Some of the others might, though."

Diana pondered for a moment, chin in her hand. "I will have to think."

"Fine," Bruce said, typing at the computer.

"When will he wake up?" She said, leaning on the back of Bruce's chair.

"That's up to him."

Minutes ticked by, but the wounded alien still slept. Suddenly, he stirred slightly, then shot straight up on the table. "Doomsday!" he shouted, eyes burning red as his head whipped around. Slowly the gleam faded as he realized he was no longer on the ice sheet. "Where is Doomsday? Where am I?" he said more quietly.

Diana hovered to him "Clark, you killed him and sent him into space. You're in the cave. You're safe."

"I…" Clark shook his head. "No. Doomsday can't die. It's what makes him so dangerous. He'll only be stronger next time. I just sent him away from Earth." Her eyes met his, deep and blue and as sad as they were bright. "How did I get here?"

She gripped his hand and pulled him down to the ground. "Batman brought you here."

He winced as her hand squeezed at the deep cuts in his own, but said nothing of it to her. "You have my thanks, Bruce." Bruce simply grunted, engrossed in reports on the computer.

Diana helped him back onto the table. "You need rest."

"I need the sun," Clark rose, pushing against her. He walked to the exit of the cave. "You're welcome to join me."

She smiled and followed him at his side. "I'd love to."

Clark stepped up into the setting sun. "That wasn't nearly as bad as last time," he said, closing his eyes as the sun washed over him.

Diana stood beside him and relished the sun as well. "You need to be more careful next time."

"I can't afford to be. You, Bruce, the whole world. He'd have killed you all."

"I could have taken the creature on, easily," she stated with a smirk.

"No, Diana," Clark turned to her, his eyes deadly serious. "You couldn't have. You don't know Doomsday like I do. Last time we fought, it nearly killed me. Hell, I think it might have, for a little bit."

She crossed her arms. "You don't think I could handle such a creature?"

"I know none of us could have without all the others," Clark said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You have to put aside your pride and think with your head, Diana. Doomsday isn't just another monster you can fight with sword and spear and shield. Doomsday is death."

She pushed his hand away and crossed her arms. "I do think. I think about many things, _Clark_." She turned her back to him. "I'm sorry if I seem empty-minded."

"Not empty-minded. Just proud." Clark placed his hand back on her shoulder. "You and Bruce, you're the closest thing to friends I've met since I started. I don't think I could bear losing either of you." Diana stepped away and glanced back at him. "I just…" Clark sighed and hung his head. "I'm sorry."

"Are you feeling better?" she said stiffly.

"Slowly but surely," Clark replied, suddenly reticent.

Diana sighed. "Clark, I'm sorry."

"You're right though. I was being unfair. But that doesn't change the fact that I was even more scared for you than I was for myself out there today," he said, looking back up at her. "And Bruce," he added quickly.

"You're sweet," she met his gaze. "But you're right. It takes a team to destroy something of that scale."

"Why do I have the feeling Bruce is already working on that?" Clark smiled ruefully.

"He is. It's not a bad idea, either," she looked up at him.

"Then let's go ask him about it," he said, holding out his arm for her. She hesitated taking it, and so he smiled and let his arm fall back to his side and walked in. She followed, and looked back at the sun just as its last rays peeked over the horizon, and felt a twinge of homesickness.


End file.
